Self sealing cap

ABSTRACT

A self sealing rotating cap or lid for a bottle, container or other object. The cap comprises an aperture, a spring, a resting position and a rotatable open position.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is related to U.S. Utility patent application entitled“Soda Bottle Confectionery,” Ser. No. 09/874,440; “Confectionery WithBody, Handle and Container,” Ser. No. 09/874,446; and “Soda BottleConfectionery With Open Top,” Ser. No. 09/874,447; and to U.S. Designpatent applications entitled “Alien Head for Confectionery Product,”Serial No. 29/142,929; “Alien Head for Confectionery Product,” SerialNo. 29/142,928; “Alien Head for Confectionery Product,” Serial No.29/142,930; “Alien Head for Confectionery Product,” Serial No.29/142,932; and “Alien Body for Confectionery Product,” Serial No.29/142,921, all of which are filed concurrently on even date herewith,and the specifications and drawings thereof are incorporated herein byreference.

COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL

A portion of the disclosure of this patent document and of the relatedapplications listed above contain material that is subject to copyrightprotection. The owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction byanyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears inthe Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwisereserves all copyrights whatsoever.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention (Technical Field)

The present invention relates to a self sealing cap, useful particularlyfor bottles with confectionery products.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION (DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION)

The present invention is of a self sealing cap for covering andproviding an opening to an object, the cap comprising: an objectcomprising an object opening therein; a cap assembly disposed on theobject, the cap assembly comprising an aperture and a spring; the capassembly and the object having a resting position wherein the objectopening is closed; the cap assembly and the object having an openposition when the object opening is opened through the cap assemblyaperture; the cap assembly rotatable by a user exerting force on the capassembly from the resting position about the object to align the objectopening with the cap assembly aperture in the open position to allowmaterial from the object to pass through both the object opening and thecap assembly aperture; and the spring providing automatic counterrotation of the cap assembly back to the original position to therebyclose the object opening after the user removes force from the capassembly. In the preferred embodiment, the object comprises a bottle andthe object opening is the top of the object. The object opening may beto a side of a longitudinal axis of the object. The cap assembly may beintegral with the object. The object opening is preferably circular, asis the cap assembly aperture. The cap assembly may be attached to theobject. The cap assembly preferably further comprises a thumb wedge,wherein one end of the spring is disposed in the thumb wedge. The capassembly may further comprise knurls, a central post around which thespring is disposed, and at least one rim upon which the spring isstopped in rotation. The cap assembly is preferably rotatable about acentral axis of the cap, with the central axis of the cap being coaxialwith a central longitudinal axis of the object. The spring is preferablyhoused in a recess in the cap assembly. A seal may be disposed betweenthe object and the cap assembly, wherein the seal comprises an o-ringabout the object opening.

The invention is also of a self sealing cap for covering and providingan opening to an object, the cap comprising: an object comprising anobject opening therein; a cap assembly disposed on the object, the capassembly comprising: a central axis; an aperture to a side of thecentral axis; a spring; a thumb wedge comprising one end of the springdisposed therein; at least one stop upon which rotation of the capassembly is stopped; the cap assembly and the object having a restingposition wherein the object opening is closed; the cap assembly and theobject having an open position when the object opening is opened throughthe cap assembly aperture; the cap assembly rotatable about the centralaxis by a user exerting force on the thumb wedge from the restingposition about the object to the stop to align the object opening withthe cap assembly aperture in the open position to allow material fromthe object to pass through both the object opening and the cap assemblyaperture; and the spring providing automatic counter rotation of the capassembly back to another stop and the original position to thereby closethe object opening after the user removes force from the thumb wedge. Inthe preferred embodiment, the object comprises a bottle and the objectopening is a top of the object. The object opening may be to a side of alongitudinal axis of the object. The object opening is preferablycircular, as is the cap assembly aperture. The cap assembly preferablyfurther comprises a central post around which the spring is disposed.

The present invention is still further of a self-closing cap assemblyfor an opening in a container comprising: a cap assembly carried by thecontainer including a rotatable cap having an aperture and a torsionalspring; the cap assembly having a resting position wherein the containeropening is closed and a dispensing position wherein the containeropening is open; the cap movable by a user exerting force against thespring so as to move the cap from a resting position to an openposition; and the spring rotating the cap back to the closed positionwhen the user applies force less than a spring force. In the preferredembodiment, the cap additionally includes a thumb wing attached to oneperipheral end of the cap for receiving rotational force from a user.

The object of the present invention is to provide a self sealing cap/lidfor a container or other object.

Other objects, advantages and novel features, and further scope ofapplicability of the present invention will be set forth in part in thedetailed description to follow; taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, and in part will become apparent to those skilledin the art upon examination of the following, or may be learned bypractice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the inventionmay be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities andcombinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated into and form a partof the specification, illustrate several embodiments of the presentinvention and, together with the description, serve to explain theprinciples of the invention. The drawings are only for the purpose ofillustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention and are not to beconstrued as limiting the invention. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a bottle with the preferred self sealing capassembly of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the cap assembly of the FIG. 1 embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a top view of the cap base of the FIG. 1 embodiment; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the cap assembly of FIGS. 2 and 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THEINVENTION

The present invention is a self sealing cap, particularly useful forbottles, containers, or other objects and most particularly useful forflowable confectionery bottles, such as disclosed in co-pendingapplication entitled “Soda Bottle Confectionery with Open Top,” filedconcurrently and on even date herewith and incorporated herein byreference.

FIG. 1 is a side view of a bottle-shaped container 1010 of the presentinvention. FIGS. 1-4 show the preferred cap 1020 of the presentinvention.

The preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a rotatingcap 1020 on bottle 1010 or other object, as shown in the drawings. Cap1020 is part of a cap assembly. Cap 1020 comprises a central aperture1032 to fix cap 1020 to bottle 1010. A screw 1026 passes through centralaperture 1032. Alternatively, cap assembly is integral with the bottleor other object. Cap 1020 is rotatable about a central axis of screw1026, which is preferably, but optionally coaxial with the longitudinalaxis of bottle 1010. Rotatable cap 1020 further comprises an off-centeraperture 1028 that is positioned to allow for removal of material (e.g.,a flowable liquid or confectionery) from bottle 1010.

Cap 1020 optionally comprises a thumb wedge or protrusion 1022 and/orknurls 1024, as shown in FIG. 2. Knurls 1024 mimic those of atraditional metal-capped or crimped soda bottle. Thumb wedge 1022 andknurls 1024 facilitate rotation of cap 1020. Thumb wedge 1022 may alsohelp a user grasp the bottle 1010 or other item to which cap 1020 isattached.

A side, cross-sectional view of bottle 1010, is shown in FIG. 1. The capbase comprises an aperture 1110 (preferably circular) for removal ofmaterial from bottle 1010. Cap assembly comprises an approximately 270degree pie-shaped, recessed region 1120 for housing, in part, a spring1116. Cap 1020 further comprises an aperture 1028 (preferably circular)therein. When a user wants to remove material from bottle 1010, the userrotates cap 1020 to align off-center aperture 1028 with aperture 1110 incap 1020. In the embodiment shown, alignment of the cap and bottleapertures 1028, 1110 is achieved, for example, by rotating cap 1020 in acounter-clockwise direction about the axis of screw 1026. An o-ring1114, seated in an annular recess 1113, is used to minimize undesirablemigration of material from bottle 1010. Annular recess 1113 surroundsaperture 1110 of bottle 1010. O-ring 1114, is seated therein, forming aseal between cap 1020 and bottle 1010.

Screw 1026 fixes cap 1020 to the cap base or bottle 1010. Screw 1026passes through central aperture 1032 of cap 1020 and is secured in acylindrical opening 1112, which is defined by a cylindrical wall 1111.Cylindrical wall 1111 further serves as a post around which spiral-woundspring 1116 is seated. As shown in FIG. 1, part of o-ring 1114 extendsover part of spring 1116; this arrangement helps to secure spring 1116around cylindrical post 1111. Spring 1116 is positioned within the capassembly to keep cap 1020 in a closed position; thus, force must beapplied to cap 1020 to align cap aperture 1028 with bottle aperture1110, and thus allow the user to remove material from bottle 1010. Thus,the term “self sealing cap” is used to describe the present invention.This self sealing is particularly important when a flowableconfectionery is disposed within bottle 1010.

Referring to FIG. 3, a top view of cap base or bottle 1010 is shown. Thecap base shown herein has a 360 degree reference system having 0 degreesand 180 degrees defined along a horizontal axis from right to left and90 degrees and 270 degrees defined along a vertical axis from to top tobottom. As shown in FIG. 3, recessed region 1120 comprises anapproximately 270 degree pie-shape. Cylindrical opening 1112, defined bycylindrical wall 1111, is located at the center of this recessed region1120. Recessed region 1120 comprises two internal walls that both startfrom a radius just greater than the radius of cylindrical wall 1111. Oneof the walls is located at approximately 0 degrees 1123 (0 degree wall)and the other located at approximately 270 degrees 1124 (270 degreewall). These two walls extend radially and terminate against a rim 1119.Rim 1119 surrounds recessed region 1120, except for an approximately 45degree cutout section 1125. The cutout section is bounded/defined by twowalls or stops, one at approximately 180 degrees 1122 (180 degree stop)and another at approximately 225 degrees 1125 (225 degree stop).

In the preferred embodiment, spring 1116 comprises a long end 1117 and ashort end 1118. Long end 1117 extends from the spring's spiral core andis seated in a channel 1034 in the cap's thumb wedge 1022. This end 1117is biased directly or indirectly against the 180 degree stop 1122 of rim1119. Short end 1118 also extends from the spiral core of spring 1616and is biased against the 270 degree stop 1124 of recessed region 1120.Thus, application of force to rotate cap 1020 in a counter-clockwisedirection causes long end 1117 of spring 1116 and consequently, the cap1020. In the preferred embodiment, rotation of cap 1020 to the 225degree stop 1125 results in alignment of cap aperture 1028 and bottleaperture 1110, in an open position. Once the applied force is released,tension in spring 1616 causes long end 1117 of spring to sweep in aclockwise direction towards the 180 degree stop 1122 to close cap 1020,in a resting position.

FIG. 4 shows a perspective and sectional view of portions of the upper(turned over) and lower embodiment of the cap assembly of the presentinvention.

Although the invention has been described in detail with particularreference to these preferred embodiments, other embodiments can achievethe same results. Variations and modifications of the present inventionwill be obvious to those skilled in the art and such variation andmodifications are covered in this disclosure to the extent that they aremodifications and/or equivalents. The entire disclosures of allreferences, applications, patents, and publications cited above arehereby incorporated by reference.

What is claimed is:
 1. A self sealing cap for covering and providing anopening to an object, said cap comprising: a cap assembly disposable onthe object, said cap assembly comprising a central body, an aperture foropening into the object and a spring and an extension extending sidewaysand horizontally from and beyond said central body; said cap assemblyfurther comprising a central post around which said spring is spirallydisposed; said spring comprising a first arm and a second arm extendingfrom said central post; said cap assembly further comprising a thirdspring stop engageable with said second spring arm; said cap assemblycomprising a first spring stop engageable with said first spring arm andsecond spring stop; said cap assembly having a resting position whereinsaid aperture is closed, and said first spring arm is engaged with saidfirst spring stop and said second spring arm is engaged with said secondspring stop; said cap assembly having an open position wherein saidaperture is opened by rotating said extension and said first spring armis engaged with said first spring stop and said second spring arm isrotated to and engaged with said third spring stop to stop the rotation;said cap assembly rotatable by a user exerting force on said extensionand thereby said cap assembly from said resting position to said openposition to open said aperture to allow material from the object to passthrough said object opening and said cap assembly aperture; and saidspring providing automatic counter rotation of said extension and saidcap assembly back to said resting position to thereby close saidaperture after a user removes force from said cap extension.
 2. The selfsealing cap of claim 1 wherein said object comprises a bottle.
 3. Theself sealing cap of claim 1 wherein said cap assembly aperture iscircular.
 4. The self sealing cap of claim 1 wherein said cap assemblyis attached to said object.
 5. The self sealing cap of claim 1 whereinsaid extension further comprises a thumb wedge.
 6. The self sealing capof claim 5 wherein one end of said spring is disposed in said thumbwedge.
 7. The self sealing cap of claim 1 wherein said cap assemblyfurther comprises knurls.
 8. The self sealing cap of claim 1 whereinsaid cap assembly is rotatable about a central axis of said cap.
 9. Theself sealing cap of claim 1 wherein said spring is housed in a recess insaid cap assembly.
 10. The self sealing cap of claim 1 furthercomprising a seal between said object and said cap assembly.
 11. Theself sealing cap of claim 10 wherein said seal comprises an O-ring aboutsaid aperture.
 12. The self sealing cap of claim 1 further comprisingsaid object, wherein said object comprises an opening therein and isattachable to said self sealing cap.
 13. The self sealing cap of claim12 wherein said object opening is a top of said object.
 14. The selfsealing cap of claim 12 wherein said object opening is to a side of alongitudinal axis of said object.
 15. The self sealing cap of claim 12wherein said cap assembly is integral with said object.
 16. The selfsealing cap of claim 12 wherein said object opening is circular.
 17. Theself sealing cap of claim 12 wherein a central axis of said cap iscoaxial with a central longitudinal axis of said object.
 18. The selfsealing cap of claim 1 wherein said central body comprises a stationaryportion and a movable portion and said extension is attached to andextends beyond said movable portion, so that when said extension isrotated, said movable portion is also turned about said stationaryportion.
 19. A self sealing cap for covering and providing an opening toan object, said cap comprising: an object comprising an object openingtherein; a cap assembly disposed on said object, said cap assemblycomprising: a central body comprising a central axis; an aperture to aside of said central axis; a spring comprising a first spring arm and asecond spring arm; a central post around which said spring is spirallydisposed and said first spring arm and said second spring arm extendingtherefrom; a first spring stop, a second spring stop and a third springstop; said first spring arm engageable with said first spring stop; saidsecond spring arm engageable with said second spring stop in a restingposition; said second spring arm engageable with said third spring stopwhen rotated thereto in an open position; a thumb wedge extendinghorizontally beyond said central body; said cap assembly and said objecthaving a resting position wherein said object opening is closed and saidfirst spring arm is engaged with said first spring stop and said secondspring arm is engaged with said second spring stop; said cap assemblyand said object having an open position when said object opening isopened through rotation of said cap assembly aperture and said firstspring arm is engaged with said first spring stop and said second springarm is rotated to and engaged with said third spring stop to stop therotation; said cap assembly rotatable about said central axis by a userexerting force on said thumb wedge from said resting position about saidobject to said stop to align said object opening with said cap assemblyaperture in said open position to allow material from said object topass through both said object opening and said cap assembly aperture;and said spring providing automatic counter rotation of said capassembly back to said second spring stop and said resting position tothereby close said object opening after the user removes force from saidthumb wedge.
 20. The self sealing cap of claim 19 wherein said objectcomprises a bottle.
 21. The self sealing cap of claim 19 wherein saidobject opening is a top of said object.
 22. The self sealing cap ofclaim 19 wherein said object opening is to a side of a longitudinal axisof said object.
 23. The self sealing cap of claim 19 wherein said objectopening is circular.
 24. The self sealing cap of claim 19 wherein saidcap assembly aperture is circular.
 25. The self sealing cap of claim 19wherein said central body comprises a stationary portion and a movableportion and said thumb wedge is attached to and extends beyond saidmovable portion, so that when said thumb wedge is rotated, said movableportion is also turned about said stationary portion.